Airship



@Hoz-11011 A. l. DUNN June 18, 1929.

AIRSHIP Filed Jan. 30, 1926 Patented' June 1s, 1929.

UNITED s'rArEsfA 1,717,552 PATENT OFFICE.

ALPIN. IQDUNN, or NEW You, 1v. IY.

Application led .Tanua'ry' 30, 1926. Serial No. 84,946.

To this 6nd I provide an airship of novel form including a longitudinally extending air tube open at both ends, which tube contains an air motor adapted to be r driven bythe powerful current of air rushing through said tube during the normal operation of the ship.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means to increase the pressure of the air in the tube and to close said tube so as to provide a braking effect to stop the ship when desired. A

Further objects will appear as the description ofthe invention proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawin s, in which like reference numerals refer to li e parts.

In said drawings, y

Figurell is an elevation of my improved airship.

Fi ure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of lthe s ip.

Figure 3 is an end View, partly in transverse .so section.

Figure 4 isan enlarged sectional view ofv the rearend of the air tube and the rear propeller.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the linev The airship 1 in which my invention is embodied consists of the usual metal framework parts of which are covered by an envelop impervious to gas, such as helium, or hydrogen, for example. The body of the airship is roughly cigar shaped. Said body is provided with lateral wings 2 and 3, projecting from it in the mid portion thereof. These wings gradually merge into the body of the f' ship toward each end thereof, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The envelop of the airship is carried over the wing 2 providing a space 5 to receive a quantity of gas and increase the buoyancy of the airship.- The lower wing 3 carries pontoon like members 6 on' its under surface. These members are covered with an envelop and are preferably filledwith gas to further increase the buoyancy of the,

ship. Suitable struts 7 and braces 8 rigidly secure the wings 2 and 3 together at their ly more than half of the body of the ship is filled with gas.

outer ends. The lower wing is additionally secured to the .framework of the ship by braces 9.

, As'will be apparent from Fig. 3 only slight- The gas carrying portion is separated from the remainder of the frame -by a dividing wall 10. In thelower half ofthe frame, I may arrange floors 11 and 12. The upper of these fioors is arranged to carry the machinery necessary to propel'the ship, while the lower floor may be used to carry freight or passengers or both.

Extending cent-rally longitudinally of the ship and serving to reinforce the structure of the framework thereofis an elongated tube 13 open at both ends. The forward end of the tube is tapered whereby the pressure of the air that enters the tubejat the forward end is increased at. the portions that are more restricted in diameter. The taper extends, preferably, throughout nearly one-half the length of the tube as shown at 13 on the drawings. The rearward portion of the tube is of vuniform diameter, preferably, and in this portion of the tube I place my air motor.

Said motor comprises a sectional shaft 14 the ends of the sections being adapted to be connected by clutches 15 so that the shaft may turn as a unit, when the clutches are moved into operative position, or the sections may move independently, when the clutches are disconnected, as will be readily understood. The shaft 14 is supported in bearings 16 provided in the tube (see Fig. 4). Each section of the shaft carries a number of vanes 17, so arranged as to be rotated by the air` passing through the tube during the move ment of the airship. The vanes are not in alinement but the forward vane is in a different angular position from that immediately behind it, and the same arrangement is followed throughout the entire series, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Power may be transmitted to shaft 18 100 mounted in alinement with shaft 14 and driven through a counter shaft 19 operated by belts20 running over pulleys 21 (see Fig.

4). Shaft 18 carries'a propeller and in this way some of the energy of the fluid motor is 105 used to assist in directly propelling the ship.

-Power is also transmitted from shaft 14 to a generator 22 and the electric current. created thereby is stored in storage batteries 23 and-may be used for any purpose desired. 110

Power is also taken from the same shaft to operate a generator 24 through a clutch 25e, the clutchl being provided to disconnect this generator when desired.v Generator 24, like generator 22 supplies current to storage batteries 23, when it is in operation. On the same shaft with the rotor of the generator is a propeller 26 used to assist in the operation of the airship. Y

The airship is started by a propeller 27 operated'by a suitable prime mover as will be understood. l/Vhen the ship is in ope-ration the pressure of the air upon the vanes 17 in the tube Will set the air motor in operation providing additional power to assist in the operation ofthe ship and to charge storage batteriesl 23,tl1`e current of which may be used for any purpose whatever.

In the forward end of the air tube 13, I may provide a valve 28 of any type to close i the tube when desired. In this manner I may set up a braking action when it is desired to stop the ship. l

While I have described the referred forni of my invention in detail, I` esire it understood that modifications may be made Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An airship comprising a frame, in.- Wardly tapered at its ends, a reinforcingr tube extending longitudinally of the frame, wings extending laterally of said frame and merging into said tapered ends, and means to conne gas wit-hin the upper portion of said frame and above said Wings, and means within the lower portion ofthe frame to Carry the machinery and the load of the ship.

2. An airship such as defined in claim l in 'which additional stabilizing Wings are provided, said wings carrying pontoon-like envelops containing buoyant material.

'ALPIN `I. DUNue 

